Rage of the Seas
by Dread King
Summary: Heavy AU. At age thirteen Naruto discovers a secret even greater than his not-father. Naruto combats demons, monsters and gods; on his quest to become Hokage. Rated M for future chapters. Pairings undecided. NarutoPJO crossover.WIP Hiatus
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or Percy Jackson and the Olympians; they belong to their respective owners. This is purely for entertainment and not profit.

**Author's Note**: I won't continue this until I have finished the PJO series…I'm still in the lightning thief. So for now it's just a plot bunny that I plan to finish some time.

* * *

**Prologue**

**XXX**

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* * *

  
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I didn't want to be a half blood. Really I didn't.

I wouldn't find out about that until my first C-rank mission of course. The same is true of my name. Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto, I wouldn't find out that Namikaze Minato was my father until I was sixteen. I wouldn't realize he wasn't really my father until the next day.

I was hunted by monsters, demons; call them whatever you want. They taunted me in my dreams and scoured the land for me. Even if I didn't know they existed. I just thought they were bad dreams induced by spoiled milk.

If you read this after I'm dead then I envy you. Why you ask? Because you're alive of course.

I wish I had the time to read stories and such but I don't. I have to keep myself safe and save the world at the same time….Okay so maybe _I_ don't have to save the world…and maybe I don't know what I have to save it from…_yet_.

Of course, being a Jinchuuriki on top of all this Gods, Monsters, and demons is just the icing on the cake isn't it?

My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm going to be Hokage.

Believe It…Dattebayo.

* * *

**Authors Note**: Yeah…Just started TLT last night and I had to start this. I'll start it again after I've finished the PJO series. This will be the only chapter in the first person as well.


	2. Son of the Sea

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or Percy Jackson and the Olympians; they belong to their respective owners. This is purely for entertainment and not profit.

* * *

**Chapter One**

**Battle on the Bridge Part One**

Brackish water flowed between the massive concrete pillars that held the bridge up. Foam slapped noisily against the foundations as the water pushed it around like a toddler pushing around a toy.

High above on the surface of the bridge two bouts had begun. Hatake Kakashi rolled out of the way of the massive cleaver of Momochi Zabuza. Steel whistled by his ear as he sprang backwards away from the shadowy outline of the former Mist Nin.

His Sharingan eye spun lazily in his eye as he calmly glanced in each direction. Zabuza had enacted his _Kirigakure no jutsu_ before their team had even arrived at the bridge.

A shadow moved on his left.

He jerked to the side with instincts honed as an ANBU captain. His fingers danced through hand seals even before he touched back down on the ground. His Sharingan glowed a faint blue. A simple D-ranked jutsu, the **Suiton: Shiryoku **allowed the user to see through water without it being bent and refracted by the light.

His eye darted around frantically now, the jutsu could only be used for a short period of time as it constantly drew on the user's chakra; just like his Sharingan. He grasped a kunai in his hand as he stared at the silent form of Zabuza.

He crept around him, still unaware that he could see perfectly fine in the mist. He hefted his large blade and swung down towards his neck.

He smirked.

Spinning around he infused the kunai with chakra and twisted it to block the falling guillotine. While it was able to stop it, the blade dug nearly halfway through the steel of the kunai. He discarded the kunai as lightning began to crackle in his hand. Sparrows and crows chirped and cawed as he brought his lightning covered hand up and into Zabuza's chest.

He burst open in a shower of water.

Startled he whirled around again but didn't see him in the vicinity. But he did see him.

Inside the large ice dome with two of his students.

* * *

He wondered when things went wrong. Maybe it was when he woke up and dispatched the two samurai that had held Tsunami captive while Inari watched.

He decided not.

Perhaps it was when he was assigned to Team Seven.

Again he decided not.

Maybe it was when Zabuza got past Kakashi and entered the dome with Sasuke and himself.

That, he decided was where everything went wrong. He tossed one of his worn down kunai at the large Missing Nin. He blocked it effortlessly with the side of his blade.

He swung the blade forward towards the two Genin. Naruto reacted first. Even as the beginnings of the cursed wheel spun in Sasuke's eyes he pushed him away.

The giant cleaver caught him in the stomach, slicing his orange jumpsuit and down to his skin. The momentum carried him up and over the edge of the bridge.

The last thing he remembered before he fell was Zabuza's face, free of bandages, twisting up into a triumphant grin. He supposed that he didn't like to be caught off guard by a genin.

* * *

Haruno Sakura held the kunai in her hand tightly as she stared out into the mist. Her frail body shook with fear as the killing intent rolled off the bridge like water. Tangible, she thought. To have this much and be tangible; able to touch. She bit back the bile in her throat. He red dress stood stark against the cool colors of the bridge.

Even in the mist, she supposed; that she was visible.

She cursed her own self image as she felt the stirring of the mist still. Behind her Tazuna took a sip from his now empty sake gourd.

She put the kunai down and flipped her hands through the only seals besides the basic academy jutsu that she knew. As she finished she wished she had used it against Kakashi-Sensei during the bell test. '_Chiru'_ She thought.

She felt her chakra float away with a mind of its own then a short pause as it caused their enemies to receive a chill up their spine. Then a decidedly masculine scream.

* * *

Kakashi arrived just in time to see Naruto fly over the edge of the bridge. Before Zabuza knew it a lightning covered fist was buried in his back. He would have died; had it not been for the hunter-nin jumping in the way of his Raikiri. His fist writhed in his-no _her_- breast as he twisted it while pulling it out. Blood, ran fluidly down his fist and the front of her shirt.

Her mask crumbled revealing a fairly pretty face along with raven locks. She stared at him as her dark eyes glassed over, the life draining out of her mouth along with the blood. She coughed; splattering him with her lifeblood.

Then fell silent.

Zabuza turned and glared at him. He grasped he body and tossed it aside. "Die like a tool Haku," he said without malice. "But know that you were of some use." He hefted his blade and swung at Kakashi's legs.

* * *

He hit the water with a resounding splash. He knew he should have died from the height but the water seemed to rise to greet him. He also found it odd that he wasn't soaked.

Naruto glanced through what should have been murky water. He found he could see all the way to each shore. The Isle of waves to his left and the rocky shore of Hi no Kuni to his left. The giant pillars of the bridge caused the currents to flow in unnatural patterns. He shook his head and tried to breathe; sending a shower of bubbles up towards the surface. He gasped as his lungs with oxygen from the water; startled he continued to sink to the sand and silt laden bottom.

A blue glow came from behind him, from the direction of the open sea. He spun around through the water as easily as he would through the air. Off in the distance a figure materialized out of the silt at the bottom of the straight. Her pale skin shed itself of the muck from the seabed. She wore a plain white dress that flowed with the currents and danced along the reef. Needless to say it left little to his imagination. Red hair flowed vividly behind her as she flowed towards him.

She smiled and his heart fluttered. He flushed and she smiled again. She spoke in sounds like crashing waves and rising bubbles. He shook his head to show he couldn't understand her and she frowned. She glanced up above his head and her smile returned. It lit up her pale skin and brought joy into the sea.

She pointed above his head and choked sending a torrent of bubbles cascading up through a glowing green trident.

Suddenly the cuts he had received had scabbed over and healed closing and disappearing without even a scar. His chakra replenished itself after multiple uses of his kage bunshins. He glanced back at the otherworldly woman but found she was gone. In her place a golden sword fluttered in place.

* * *

**Translations**:

Kirigakure no Jutsu – Hidden Mist Skill

Suiton: Shiryoku – Water style: Sight

Chiru - Chill

Hi no Kuni – Fire country


	3. Of Bronze and Beginnings

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or Percy Jackson and the Olympians; they belong to their respective owners. This is purely for entertainment and not profit.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

**Of bronze and beginnings**

Golden symbols glinted off of the bronze blade. He squinted his eyes at them, discerning that they weren't kanji. His mind blanked for a moment as he floated there. Then he understood. '_Anaklusmos_,' it read. '_Riptide_' his mind told him. He shook his head sending bubbles cascading up towards the surface.

Tentatively he reached out and grasped the hilt of the bronze sword. It felt comfortably in his hand, even though its weight should have dragged him completely to the bottom. A shadow passed overhead.

He glanced up and was met with the inky black depths of eyes of a great white shark. It circled him as he started to panic. He jumped and kicked his legs, making a mad dash of sorts toward the surface. Its sleek body moved with muscles made for rending flesh from its prey. It grasped the bottom of his pant leg and gently as it could for a shark, and dragged him back towards the seabed.

He screamed but no bubbles erupted from his mouth.

He swung the bronze blade in his hand at the extremely large shark. It hesitated a moment before its rough scale-like skin before passing through it harmlessly. The shark swam lazily through the blade and back towards him. He flicked his hand towards his kunai pouch and grasped one in his hand. He tossed it towards the point of the shark's snout.

It fluttered through the water like a bird catching an air current. The shark snapped up, over the blade as it passed under it. He growled under his breath.

"Dam it you stupid fish!" his voice cracked with the beginnings of puberty. "I have to get back to my team!"

The inky black eyes stared at him as it swam a circle around him, then with an unseen signal it floated off into the gloom; back towards the ocean.

* * *

_Five minutes later._

Hatake Kakashi's arm groaned under the pressure of Zabuza's blow. The former mist-nin retracted his arm and swung his massive cleaver towards his ribcage. A quick kawamari averted the near disaster of his bisection. He flipped through seals and sent a medium sized fireball careening towards Zabuza. The masked-nin countered for him, blocking it with a wall of water.

He cursed silently.

Down below the waves started to pick up with increased fervor as a storm drew in from the ocean. Dark clouds rippled across the sky; undulating like a great snake. The waves crashed with loud rumbles against the concrete pylons that held the bridge up. They swelled upwards, rearing a vaguely head shaped appendage. They rose high, up past the pylons and past the bridge itself, before crashing down upon the dome of ice and its combatants.

From its frothy mouth burst forth an orange blob. Naruto descended from the confines of the wave, clutching a gleaming bronze blade. The wave put him right next to Zabuza, so he did what any able-minded shinobi might do. He swung the blade straight up into Zabuza's side.

* * *

He expected his death to be glorious, at the hands of an able bodied shinobi. One who deserved the title; not some punk genin fresh out of the academy. He drew in a breath expecting to feel the cold bit of the steel; but it never came.

* * *

Naruto stared dumbly as the blade slid out of Zabuza's body with leaving a scratch. The missing-nin grinned; revealing shark like teeth. He brought his blade up to swing it down at him. Naruto's eyes widened in horror.

Time slowed down.

He glanced to the left; where Kakashi was charging with his hand covered in lightning; then back to his right where the masked Nin had left Sasuke and was now throwing himself in front of Zabuza.

Rage course through his veins. _'H-how can I be so useless.' _His thoughts echoed the situation.

"Tch, such a waste of time." Zabuza growled under his breath. He swung his massive blade down upon Naruto's body expecting the boy to cave and burst into tears before being sliced into two halves.

He didn't, however expect Kakashi to grasp the kid before his blade hit. Neither was he expecting the lightning covered fist through his chest.

Blood filled his lungs and ambled up his throat. He turned around shakily, spitting a glob of coppery liquid as he did so. "H-how," he asked simply.

Kakashi returned his simple question in kind. "Kage Bunshin." His Sharingan eye twirled lazily around as Zabuza died.

* * *

Zabuza's helper had fallen easily enough; slipping into a coma after being dragged to the ground by his ninken and watching her master's life-force slip from his lips. She laid staring at the sky; catatonic; barely breathing enough to survive.

Kakashi had returned and removed all the hidden steel senbon from her person and sealed them away. He reached into his pouch and pressed the standard capture seal given to all ANBU to her forehead. Her eyes dulled and slipped into eternity.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke awoke with a gasp. He glanced around with charcoal eyes; taking in the crying Sakura over his body and Kakashi subduing the hunter-nin. He glanced to his left; painfully aware of the soreness in his limbs.

Naruto stood over Zabuza's corpse; shaking. He held a gleaming bronze blade. His own eyes darted back and forth between the two as he started to hyperventilate.

Sakura returned her attention to his face. "Careful Sasuke-kun," She said. "You might pass out again."

He grit his teeth to contain his fury.

* * *

Kakashi glanced back over his shoulder at Naruto. He stood from his crouched position and walked back to his rambunctious student. He held out his hand and Naruto wordlessly handed him the blade. He twirled it around his fingers and briefly glanced at the lettering; committing them to memory via Sharingan. He sighed slung it through a strap on the back of his jonin vest.

The weight of it felt comfortable against his back. He turned to address the team but froze midway; mouth open.

In Naruto's hand sat the blade. They both stared at it bewildered. Naruto glanced up at him and all he could do was shrug.

"Keep it for now." The command was clear. _'For now.'_

* * *

The bridge was completed shortly afterwards and, with the comatose Haku in tow, the returned to Konoha. Haku was left at the gate for the ANBU to take to their medical facility. After that she would be left in Ibiki's care.

Walking through the village proper drew curious glances towards Naruto's new addition. He glanced upwards where Asuma and Kurenai stood on a rooftop together. He shrugged in response to their glance.

* * *

Far away in Ame no Kuni Ringed eyes opened wide. The owner turned southeast from his southern facing direction. He bit his lip drawing a slight bit of blood. Sighing to himself he glanced back at an enormous painting covering his back wall. The machine he was confined in whirled and clicked on spidery legs as he turned to face it.

"It doesn't matter what powers they bring to bear against me." His vice echoed out into the candlelit room. "In the end, the will know Pain."

* * *

**Author's Note: Next Chapter- Interlude: The Sandaime!**

Just so you know; I will refer to Pein as Pein; I don't like the idea that it is spelled the same as Pain.


	4. Interlude One: Sandaime Hokage

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or Percy Jackson and the Olympians; they belong to their respective owners. This is purely for entertainment and not profit.

* * *

**Interlude One:**

**Sandaime Hokage**

**

* * *

**

_**Lord**_

–_noun_

_1._

_a person who has authority, control, or power over others; a master, chief, or ruler. _

_2._

_a person who is a leader or has great influence in a chosen profession: the great lords of banking. _

_3._

_a feudal superior; the proprietor of a manor. _

_4._

_a titled nobleman or peer; a person whose ordinary appellation contains by courtesy the title Lord or some higher title. _

_5._

_the title of certain high officials (used with some other title, name, or the like): Lord Mayor of London. _

_**Professor**_

–_noun_

_1._

_a teacher of the highest academic rank in a college or university, who has been awarded the title Professor in a particular branch of learning; a full professor: a professor of Spanish literature. _

_2._

_any teacher who has the rank of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor. _

_3._

_a teacher. _

_4._

_an instructor in some art or skilled sport: a professor of singing; a professor of boxing. _

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen took a long draft from his pipe. Chalky smoke billowed out from his mouth as he exhaled. Initial reports from the Anbu stationed near the gate had Team Seven entering the village three minutes ago. He glanced at the sun.

They had a captive so Kakashi would pause and let the Interrogation corps bring them back to their medical facility. Two minutes ago.

The clock ticked with each second. He sucked in another bout of nicotine. They would arrive by rooftop in six four minutes. He exhaled again; causing a coughing fit to sprout from his weathered lungs. Even after earning the title of Professor and Kami no Shinobi; he still hadn't mastered the art of smoking. Three minutes now.

He shuffled reports off of his desk; into the drawer containing his crystal ball. Jiraya's reports were interesting indeed. Two minutes.

He knocked the excess tobacco into the trash and refilled his pipe. They entered the building; one minute. He refilled it and lit the pipe with a minor Katon jutsu. Twenty Seconds.

_Nineteen_

_Eighteen_

_Seventeen_

_Sixteen_

_Fifteen_

_Fourteen_

_Thirteen_

_Twelve_

_Eleven_

_Ten_

_Nine_

_Eight_

_Seven_

_Six_

_Five_

_Four_

_Three_

_Two_

_One_

He paused waiting for the knock. It never came. '_Odd_,' he thought to himself. 'I was sure I had gotten the timing correct.' One minute later the knock came. He bid them enter and straightened in his chair. '_Ah_, _that's right_,' he thought in distaste. '_Kakashi_.'

The four entered his office, silently. The heavy atmosphere was broken by one thing.

"Oi, Jii-san," Naruto cried happily, waving his arms frantically from where he stood. Sarutobi chuckled; the boy was certainly a spot of sunshine. His eyes scanned them; not failing to notice the bronze sword, the tightened eyes of the Uchiha or the stiff back of the Haruno girl.

When he spoke his gravely, grandfather like voice was replaced by the sharp tone of the Hokage. "Report."

The next few hours were spent review every detail from each perspective. An oddity that didn't go unnoticed by Sasuke. He was quite proud to find that Naruto defeated two ronin on his own.

He sucked in a breath, past the pipe clenched in his teeth. He turned his head towards Naruto; the boy was still rocking on his heels in impatience. Perhaps Ebisu would help correct that. He glanced at the bronze sword and motioned for Naruto to hand it to him.

He turned it over in his hands; examining every detail, committing them to memory. His brow rose in surprise at the strange symbols along the blade.

He couldn't make them out but he had seen something similar before. He would have the research division looking through the archives tonight. They couldn't have a strange weapon near their Jinchuuriki after all. Not after that Fiasco with the Gobi Jinchuuriki in Iwa.

Just as he was going to hand it back it disappeared from his palm. Startled, the Anbu guarding the room sprang from their spots, kunai and blades in hand.

It reappeared in Naruto's hands. He flushed lightly and glanced up at him.

Research indeed. It seemed even if it were to be taken away it would just return to Naruto. He motioned for one of the Anbu to alert the research division of their assignment; and for the rest to resume their positions.

He took another draft from his pipe before signing the pay ledger for each member. It was bumped up to an A rank mission after all. He would have to send someone to collect the funds, he mused silently.

With a wave of his hand he dismissed Team Seven from his office.

* * *

**Translations**:

Kami no Shinobi – God of Shinobi

Katon – Fire style


	5. Zombies and Sand Boys

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or Percy Jackson and the Olympians; they belong to their respective owners. This is purely for entertainment and not profit.

* * *

**Chapter Three**

**Zombies and Sand boys  
**

Neko twisted her head around as she glanced at the orange figure bobbing through the crowds in the market district. Her purple hair fluttered around gently in the light breeze that came with Konoha's spring. Unnoticed, beneath her mask her eyes twitched. She watched as the boy deftly stole from various vendors as he proceeded on his way down towards his apartment.

After Team Seven had returned from their mission The Sandaime had assigned her to tail Uzumaki Naruto and watch for any strange behavior. The length of the mission was indefinite and only to end once Jiraya of the Sannin relieved her. Even then the Toad Sage wouldn't arrive until the month interval of the Chunin exams. So for now she was stuck watching the disgraceful and careless acts of the Blonde child.

She counted the ways she could disable and kill him to pass the time.

_Four._

_Twelve._

_Nineteen._

_Thirty._

Growling like her namesake she fluttered away in a shunshin to another vantage point.

_Six_.

* * *

Bones clattered together as they knit themselves into a grotesque figure; its three arms twisted and cracked as flimsy flesh grew over it. Patches of hair appeared on something vaguely resembling a head. It wheezed as it drew in a breath for the first time in years. Using its arms it clawed its way from the earth, leaving a dull red glow that soon faded away.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto shivered as a cold feeling crept up his spine. Normally he would ignore it and continue eating his steaming noodles. This time he glanced back out the flaps of the ramen stand he frequented. The streets were empty as shopkeepers started to close down for the night. He squinted his eyes, scanning the darkening street for movement before shrugging and slurping down the last of his noodles.

After paying he exited the stand and glanced down the street where the occasional lamp had flickered to life; bathing the areas in cool amber light.

No sounds caught in his ears. Tense in the silence he crept up the stone stairs to the road that would take him to his apartment.

So it came as no surprise when the sudden sound of wheezing sent him scurrying to the Hokage's tower.

* * *

Meanwhile Neko shadowed him, glancing discreetly for anything that could have spooked the boastful child so. Perhaps Bear should accompany her next time; he could at least suppress the boy if the fox tried to gain control.

* * *

As luck would have it he arrived just as Sarutobi was finishing the last bit of paperwork for the night. "Ojii-san," he cried as he came through the door.

"Hmm," Sarutobi glanced up at the outburst. "Yes Naruto-kun; was there something you wanted?"

Suddenly aware of where he was he flushed lightly, rubbing the back of his head. He recanted the tale of his arrival here as Sarutobi listened.

He leaned back and took a puff of tobacco, exhaling it in a perfect ring. He chuckled lightly. "So you came here for me to," he paused for a moment. "Do what exactly?" he asked.

Naruto flushed again, sending the whisker marks on his cheeks into stark contrast with the skin around them. "I-I…" he stuttered. "Never mind Jii-san." He mumbled out, embarrassed for running to the old man like a scared child.

Sarutobi stood, cracking his bones, before walking around the desk. He ushered Naruto back towards the door. "Come now Naruto-kun; ill walk you to the gate." After exiting the room he used his keys to lock the door in addition to the multitude of security seals placed there.

Then the stench of rotting flesh caught his nose.

* * *

It clawed its way up the stairs, leaving gouges where its bleeding fingernails grasped the wood. Its smell preceded its arrival on the top level of the strange tower. Groaning, climbed the last stair and into the hall. At the opposite end an old man shielded a orange draped child. Empty eye sockets grazed across each of them before settling on the boy. Its grotesque body twisted its multiple limbs as it made to walk towards them. Skin cracked with each step leaving thin trails of pus and ooze behind it.

* * *

Sarutobi stood stock still as the abomination stared at them with its empty eyes. It stood at what had to be nearly seven feet tall, with what appeared to be three arms and five legs. Heads jutted from its chest and thighs, mouths gaping.

With speed honed with years of practice his hands came to his mouth and he spewed forth a large fireball into existence. It rammed into the strange creature, incinerating the flesh and leaving behind a pile of ashes. Only then did the god of shinobi relax.

He glanced back at Naruto, who he had quickly shielded when it crested the stairs. The boy stared at the ashes in terror. No doubt not used to the more abnormal things of the shinobi world. His eyes were eventually drawn to the strange blade which had a lingering glow that faded as quickly as he had caught it.

He coughed lightly, expelling the remaining ashes from his mouth as he turned towards Naruto. "Naruto-kun; why don't you go ahead to Ichiraku's before heading home. Tell Teuchi-san to place it on my tab." He chuckled as a broad grin crossed the boy's face as he darted down the hall, through the ashes and out into Konoha proper.

He twitched and several Anbu were kneeling before him in an instant. "You know what to do."

* * *

The next day rumors had spread throughout the village like wildfire. The Hokage had been attacked. Security checkpoints in Hi no Kuni and the village itself were raised to their highest alert level. Members of Konoha's reserve forces were called back into active duty to help maintain peace as the Anbu secretly searched for the source of the strange abomination.

Meanwhile on the other side of the village, underground in his own secret base Danzo studied the reports that one of his Root operatives gave him. Nezumi had been assigned cleanup duty by the Hokage and had brought back the results to him before reporting to Sarutobi.

He made a few notes and handed the report back to Nezumi. Wordlessly the Anbu slipped into the shadows and back to the kage tower.

He leaned back and glanced over at his fluorescently glowing fish tank. "Interesting," he mused. "Was this your doing Orochimaru?"

He twisted again, back to his desk. "_That_ jutsu perhaps?"

* * *

Sarutobi dismissed the officer and shuffled the report into his personal locked drawer. The ashes contained DNA from multiple deceased shinobi and civilians. He sighed and stood. Time to check on the intelligence division.

* * *

Visitors gaining access to the village would normally be turned away in such a high alert time. During the Chunin exams however, they were heavily screened. Each team would eventually be allowed to pass through, after removing all their possessions to be searched; stripping naked and being given a body cavity search and taking a shower in a controlled environment. Needless to say; most of the visiting teams were quite irritated once they were let through.

The day progressed with minimal disturbance; the only snag when a red haired child from Sunagakure refused to comply with the requests. They were promptly removed from the sequestered area and ejected from the village.

The next day they returned with a sealed letter; delivered courtesy of Takamaru; Suna's fastest hawk. They were let into the village after the other three members of the team were searched. And of course they wouldn't know about the squad of Anbu assigned to shadow them, particularly a man in a bear mask.

* * *

Miles below the earth eldritch energy crackled and formed two eyes.

* * *

**Author's note**: Next chapter: time skip; the forest of death


	6. Preliminaries

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto or Percy Jackson and the Olympians; they belong to their respective owners. This is purely for entertainment and not profit.

**Author's Note:** This Chapter contains a significant time skip; directly to the confrontation with Orochimaru. As this is AU, the scene between team seven and Gaara's team never happened.

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Humidity sat deadly in the air. Occasionally it would twitch, like a corpse in its last bout of muscle spasms, as a breeze penetrated the Forest of Death's exterior. Snake-like eyes glossed over each of the three members of team seven. The pink haired girl, only now beginning to bud into puberty. The one he had come to test; Uchiha Sasuke, last loyal scion of the once great Uchiha clan. And the Kyuubi-boy, Uzumaki Naruto.

He wasn't a fool. He could see the similarities between the Sannin and this team seven even now. Orochimaru licked his lips. _'It seems history will repeat itself.'_

'_Lets see how the children perform.' _

He chuckled quietly to himself, the sound coming out like a snake's hiss.

* * *

Weight crashed down upon their shoulders, settling down like a relative come to stay. They saw themselves bite out each others throats and swallow the remains. They watched as great beasts devoured their loved ones then turned on themselves. Sakura vomited, even as her mothers bones crunched in the thing's mouth.

They each stood paralyzed as their greatest fears came true before their eyes.

* * *

'_How…disappointing.'_ Orochimaru mused to himself. He stood in the guise of a grass Nin directly in front of the paralyzed trio. He grit his teeth together. From the reports Kabuto had delivered he had expected the Uchiha and Uzumaki boys to at least shrug off the full brunt of his killing intent. He shrugged; at least the Uchiha would be easier to take over later on.

His neck elongated and darted forward, his fangs pierced the pale boy's neck injecting his curse seal of heaven into the boy. He retracted his neck and turned to leave, even as Uchiha Sasuke dropped to the ground, clutching his neck and screaming.

The attack came with only a minute warning. Red chakra pulsed past the area where his head once was. He twisted and flipped landing upside down against a neighboring tree limb. Down below Uzumaki Naruto stood crouched in a cloak of red chakra; vaguely resembling a one-tailed fox.

* * *

On the other side of the forest Sabaku no Gaara's head snapped up, turning westward. His sand receded after crunching together the three rain-nin that had dared to deny his existence.

But this feeling, this energy. He chuckled hoarsely. "I will live!"

* * *

The chakra bubbled along his skin, healing the mosquito bites that he had accumulated in the jungle-like forest. Behind him one tail swayed in twitching motions. His crimson eyes locked with those of the snake man and narrowed. One moment he had been watching the Hokage be devoured limb by limb, and the next he was standing her shrouded in this strange chakra.

Red chakra.

The Kyuubi's chakra.

Sometimes he wished the fox would stay out of his life. But his life was the fox's. He bit his lip, drawing blood with his elongated incisors. The coppery taste was quickly washed away as the chakra healed the wound.

He cocked an arm back before throwing it forward. The arm of chakra extended towards the snake man at an astonishing rate. The man flipped backwards, dancing out of reach of the burning arm. The clams latched onto the branch that the man was once on. He rocketed forward as the arm dragged him to the spot. He landed, crouched on the branch. Hate filled eyes stared forward.

Words ripped themselves from his throat in a guttural growl. "**What did you do to the Teme?**"

* * *

Orochimaru looked surprised for a brief second before adopting his regular look. "Why Naruto-kun; I didn't know you cared." He chuckled lightly, even as a growl came in response.

"I merely gave him the road to the power he desires so."

Naruto growled again, tensing up in anticipation. Lurching forward he prepared to charge again but was stopped by the man's next words.

"I am surprised about you though Naruto-kun." He grinned. "To be able to use one tail of the Kyuubi's chakra without any training certainly is impressive. Perhaps the Akatsuki won't capture you so easily after all." Orochimaru chuckled again. "Tell Sasuke-kun to seek me out if he ever intends to defeat Itachi." He licked his lips. "And tell Sarutobi-sensei that Orochimaru sends his regards."

Like a snake he darted forward, his fingertips glowing purple. Within a fraction of a second he slammed them into Naruto's stomach, directly over the seal. The chakra that was hovering over him receded as the arm approached, aware of what was happening. Most of it made it in.

However a fraction of it dripped down into the forest below, with no container to return to.

Orochimaru withdrew his hand and jumped back to the other limb. He paused as an ache made itself known in his hand. He glanced down and saw severe burns covering the area where his hand touched the Kyuubi's chakra. He chuckled and reached into his pouch, tossing a pair of scrolls down near the slumbering Naruto. "For your efforts boy."

* * *

The Chakra fell down to the Earth, Shining a malevolent ruby, with splashes of vibrant blue mixed in. It crashed against a branch and continued its descent. It slammed down into the soil, bubbling viscously. It sat there for a moment before sinking down beneath the earthen floor. It sunk through dirt, down into the depths of the earth.

A Sudden jerk pulled it to the left and into a small inconspicuous cave in the earth. Above the cave two lime green eyes opened. Far above the plants and animals sang. It clamped its mouth closed and grasped the earth around it with one hand. Roots that had entwined its body came loose at the movement. It glanced upward and began to claw its way through the dirt.

* * *

"Alright you little shits," She grinned happy to have her job finally done. "Congratulations on completing the second stage of the Chunin exams." Mitarashi Anko shook the box in her hand, stirring the pieces of paper within. "Normally Hokage-Sama would give a speech about war between allied nations or something," She paused for a moment. "But I don't care. Now there are too many of you to proceed directly to the final round of the exams, so we have to hold a little preliminary round."

She grinned. "Old sickly back there will be the proctor for this round. The screen behind me will pull up random names to determine the matches. If you relied on your team to get by before you probably won't get past this round." She tapped the box with one finger. "Once the matches are over the winners will draw numbers form the final tournament." She glanced back at a sickly looking man in Konoha's standard jonin uniform.

He shook his head. She turned back to the crowd in front of her. "The screen will now choose the first two contestants, the rest of you get your asses up on the balconies."

It whirled through the names before finally stopping on the first two.

**Hyuga Neji versus Yamanaka Ino**

* * *

**AN**: I already have the winners of each match planned out. The next chapter will contain three matches as well.


End file.
